A magnitude 7.3 earthquake struck off Vanuatu’s coast on Tuesday, causing widespread damage and triggering tsunami warnings for the region.
The quake hit at 2:47pm Tonga time, shaking the capital, Port Vila, for 30 seconds with a “violent, high-frequency shake,” according to local journalist Dan McGarry.
McGarry described it as a “mass casualty event,” reporting three seriously injured individuals and one death outside Vila Central Hospital.
Landslides have reportedly buried parts of Port Vila’s wharf, and videos on social media show significant damage, including a partially collapsed building crushing vehicles on the main street.
The building hosting the US and French embassies, as well as the UK and New Zealand High Commissions, also suffered damage.
Associate Professor Kasper van Wijk said the quake’s shallow depth near a subduction zone likely caused the damage and had the potential for a tsunami.
Communications remain disrupted, leaving Vanuatu’s recovery uncertain as the nation continues to rebuild from last year’s cyclones.
Tonga remains unaffected according to the Tonga Meteorological Services and has not issued any tsunami alerts.
The region’s largest recorded quake was a magnitude 7.9 in December 1950.